unhealthy
harmful to physical health
not good for your body and may make you sick, especially about food, habits, or the way you live
an unhealthy [food / habit / lifestyle / diet]
- Eating a lot of sugary snacks is unhealthy in the long term.
- He decided to change his unhealthy lifestyle after a health scare.
- The doctor warned her that her diet was extremely unhealthy.
- Working night shifts in that noisy factory is really unhealthy.
- They grew up in a crowded, unhealthy environment with poor air quality.
- Fast food is often very unhealthy.
- She stopped her unhealthy habit of smoking.
- He wants to move away from his unhealthy lifestyle.
- Too much screen time can be unhealthy for your eyes.
- The air in this city is unhealthy to breathe.
in poor physical health
not healthy; in bad physical condition or looking like you are sick
[someone / something] looks unhealthy
- The child looked pale and unhealthy after weeks in bed.
- Years of heavy drinking had left him thin and unhealthy.
- Her skin has become unhealthy because she never goes outside.
- The vet said the dog was overweight and unhealthy.
- He was clearly unhealthy, coughing constantly and out of breath after a short walk.
- He looks unhealthy after his long illness.
- The doctor says I am overweight and unhealthy.
- Her hair and skin are unhealthy because she does not eat well.
- The baby was small and unhealthy at birth.
- My grandfather is old but not unhealthy.
harmful to mental or emotional health
bad for your mind or feelings, for example a relationship or place that makes you feel stressed or unhappy
an unhealthy [relationship / atmosphere / dynamic / culture]
- She finally left the unhealthy relationship and moved in with friends.
- The company’s culture of overwork created an unhealthy work environment.
- Growing up in such an unhealthy family atmosphere affected his confidence.
- Therapy helped them see the unhealthy patterns in their marriage.
- The constant pressure at school made it an unhealthy place for many students.
- He is in an unhealthy relationship with his boss.
- This office has an unhealthy work culture.
- Their parents had an unhealthy marriage.
- Social media can create an unhealthy feeling of stress.
- She left the unhealthy home and stayed with a friend.
excessive and morally disturbing
used for an interest or feeling that is too strong and not normal, and that people find wrong or worrying
an unhealthy [interest / obsession / fascination] in [something]
- He has an unhealthy obsession with celebrity gossip.
- The media’s unhealthy fascination with violent crimes can be disturbing.
- She developed an unhealthy interest in extreme dieting websites.
- There is an unhealthy curiosity about other people’s private lives.
- Critics warned of an unhealthy obsession with profits over people.
- He has an unhealthy interest in other people’s problems.
- The child showed an unhealthy fascination with weapons.
- Some fans have an unhealthy obsession with famous actors.
- The show creates an unhealthy curiosity about crime.
- She thinks his focus on money is unhealthy.
- Base: unhealthy
- Comparative: unhealthier
- Superlative: unhealthiest
emotionally unhealthy
1bad for emotional well-being
not good for your feelings or emotional health
- Constantly comparing yourself to others is emotionally unhealthy.
- The therapist told him that bottling up his anger was emotionally unhealthy.
mentally unhealthy
1bad for mental health
not good for your mind or mental health
- Living in constant fear is mentally unhealthy.
- Experts say that working all night is mentally unhealthy over time.
unhealthy amount of
1too much of something, in a harmful way
used to say there is so much of something that it is bad for you
- He spends an unhealthy amount of time playing video games.
- The job involves an unhealthy amount of stress.
unhealthy diet
1a way of eating that is bad for health
a way of eating that includes too much fat, sugar, or other things that are bad for your body
- His unhealthy diet led to high blood pressure.
- The doctor told her to change her unhealthy diet immediately.
unhealthy eating
1eating in a way that harms health
a way of eating that is bad for your body, usually with too much junk food or not enough fruit and vegetables
- Unhealthy eating in childhood can lead to problems later in life.
- He blamed his weight gain on years of unhealthy eating.
unhealthy fascination
1strong but disturbing attraction
a very strong feeling of wanting to know or see something that is too much and not good for you
- He has an unhealthy fascination with stories about disasters.
- Critics pointed out the film’s unhealthy fascination with violence.
unhealthy food
1food that is bad for health
food that is not good for your body, especially if you eat it a lot
- Children are often attracted to unhealthy food like chips and candy.
- We’re trying to serve less unhealthy food at home.
unhealthy habit
1a repeated behavior that is bad for health
something you do often that is bad for your health, like smoking or sleeping too little
- Smoking is an unhealthy habit that’s hard to break.
- She is trying to replace her unhealthy habits with better ones.
unhealthy interest
1excessive and worrying interest
an interest in something that is too strong and makes other people feel worried or uncomfortable
- The documentary warned about society’s unhealthy interest in true-crime stories.
- Teachers noticed his unhealthy interest in violent games.
unhealthy lifestyle
1a way of living that is bad for health
a way of living that includes bad habits like no exercise, a lot of stress, or too much alcohol and junk food
- Years of an unhealthy lifestyle finally caught up with him.
- She is trying to move away from her unhealthy lifestyle and start exercising.
unhealthy obsession
1excessive interest that is harmful
a very strong interest in something that is too much and not good for you
- She developed an unhealthy obsession with checking her phone.
- His unhealthy obsession with his appearance made him miserable.
unhealthy relationship
1relationship that is bad for well-being
a relationship that makes people feel bad, scared, or controlled instead of safe and respected
- Friends warned her that she was in an unhealthy relationship.
- Therapy helped them see the signs of an unhealthy relationship.
unhealthy work-life balance
1bad balance between work and personal life
when you work too much and do not have enough time for rest, family, or hobbies, so it is bad for your health
- Many employees suffer from an unhealthy work-life balance.
- He left the company because the unhealthy work-life balance was affecting his health.